A Cairn Terrier Breeders Guide to Picking the Right Breeding Match

When people think of the Cairn terrier breed images of ‘Toto’ the dog from the original wizard of oz film may spring to mind. This adorable small bodied dog makes the perfect house pet for families and single owners looking for an affectionate and easy to train life companion.

They are a pure breed of Terrier whose roots can be traced back 200 years to the Scottish highlands where they were bred to hunt vermin amongst the ‘Cairns’ or animal holes on country farms.

Because of their size and nimble bodies Cairn terrier breeders started producing a special variety to be used by hunters, this dog could easily make it down narrow burrows scaring foxes and badgers out into the open and then tracking down the bodies after they had been shot.

Overall Cairn terriers have a unique character that appeals to most dog lovers, their scrappy fur coats and always alert pointy ears look just right on their compact frames; usually growing to 10 inches in height and reaching a maximum weight of about 14 pounds.

Cairn Terrier Pros and Cons

To give you a better idea of what you’ll love and maybe hate about this particular terrier here are a few pros and cons for you to consider:

Pros:

• Friendly around strangers and other pets
• Always alert and makes a great watchdog
• Doesn’t lose much hair like other dog breeds
• Is definitely an indoor dog, perfect as an apartment dog
• Requires moderate amounts of energy
• Lives a long life

Cons:

• Barks quite a lot
• Loves to dig holes
• Requires constant grooming
• Has strong hunting instincts and may chase other animals
• Commonly develops serious illnesses

Tracking Down and Choosing Cairn Terrier Breeders

If you’ve decided that you want this dog for yourself then the first thing you’ll want to do is consider your choice of Cairn terrier breeders in your area.

The best Cairn terrier breeders probably won’t openly advertise themselves in the telephone directory or newspapers, instead tracking them down will require speaking to various dog breeders or your local vet and asking them for further information.

If you’re not too picky and aren’t only looking to adopt Cairn terrier puppies, then a good place to begin your search is at the local animal shelter or RSPCA.

People usually have the wrong idea about these centers and see them as places where unhealthy street dogs are placed, but the truth is most of these dogs are abandoned pets that are in perfect health.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the shelter then the next step is to track down the reputable Cairn terrier breeders.

You’ll want to find a breeder who is in the business for more than just money, someone who spends a lot of time searching for quality males and females to breed with and takes good care of the puppies.

After locating a potential seller take some time to ask them a few questions; this should give you a feel for their dedication to their trade.

Usually a breeder won’t offer you Cairn terrier puppies less than 10 weeks old as they are usually reserved by show buyers; though adopting an older puppy will work in your advantage because they would already have been house trained by the owner.

Younger puppies require more hours of house training and socializing then older ones, which may be difficult for you to do if you work for 7-8 hours a day away from home.

In terms of choosing the sex of your new puppies you might already have a preference for one or the other, some breeders believe that female Cairn terriers are more independent and males have a more affectionate character though this is just a generalization.

For the benefit of the Cairn terrier health it is always recommended that you neuter or spray your dog once they reach adolescence. After this has been done both the male and female terriers will tend to calm down and be less aggressive in nature.

For more information and everything you need to know Cairn Terrier breeders, check out the highly recommended Cairn Terrier eBook and audio package today!